The following terms were proposed on the part of "ye District:"

"Voted to give Mr. Sparhawk £133 6s. 8d. as a settlement, and that one-half be paid in three months and the residue within the year. And, voted to give £53 13s. 4d. as a salary, to be raised to £60 when the town, or district, should have seventy-five families; and to £66 13s. 4d. when there should be eighty-five families." It seems that these terms were not accepted by the candidate; whereupon, at a subsequent meeting, the people voted him the last mentioned sum at once; but he declined remaining with them. This was a third disappointment; but it did not dishearten the anxious seekers after the blessings of a stated ministry, but rather gave stimulus to their efforts.

And it seems they did not labor in vain. February 25th, 1762, Mr. Phinehas Whitney of Weston — having preached an allotted time on probation-received a unanimous call to settle. The same terms were proposed to Mr. Whitney that had been made to Mr. Sparhawkwith the addition of twenty cords of wood, annually, to be carried to his door-with which terms the candidate complied. The district owned certain lands, which were sold to Mr. Whitney towards paying the sum voted to him as a settlement, on which lands he erected his buildings and lived. The farm is pleasantly situated half a mile west from the meeting-house, and is now owned by Mr. Thomas K. Fisk. The house built by Mr. Whitney possessed much architectural taste, and stood until the year 1855 when it was demolished.

The records that relate to the settlement of Mr. Whitney are here inserted':

May 12, 1762, "Voted to let Mr. Phinehas Whitney have the land that was purchased for the use of the district, for seventy-three pounds, six shillings and eight pence; and, voted to have Capt. Harris give Mr. Whitney a deed of sa land and take a receipt of Mr. Whitney for so much of his settlement."

The following is the letter of acceptance from Mr. Whitney:

"TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE DISTRICT OF SHIRLEY:

Gentlemen:-It is now some time since you gave me an invitation to settle with you in the work of the Gospel ministry. Doubtless you are sensible that a matter of such great importance and consequence ought to be well weighed and maturely considered, in order for a proper resolution ;—accordingly I have had the same under consideration some considerable time, and I have not been unmindful to ask wisdom and direction from the Fountain of wisdom and Head of all influence-as well as advice from the ablest counsellors I could find-and am now ready to give you an answer. And, gentlemen, I am obliged to you for the favorable opinion you have conceived of my public performances, as well as private converse among you, and that you are unanimous in your desire that I should settle among you ;-the consideration of which, I think, is a strong circumstance that Providence designs my settlement among you, and obliges me to think that I have a call from God to accept your invitation. I acknowledge that I am too much unfit for the business, and unable of myself to perform the great and important work; but yet, depending upon the grace of Christ to assist and strengthen me, I freely accept of your invitation. I very earnestly desire that you would not be unmindful of me in your prayers to God, that I may have grace and strength to go through this great work. The offers you make in regard to my maintenance, I acknowledge are very generous, considering how few you are in number, together with all other considerations;—and I doubt not, if you are punctual in your payments, and also are kind and generous, and your love and regard for me is sincere, and continues thus to be,-I say I doubt not but that I shall have an honorable maintenance, and with a blessing live comfortably among you. I heartily wish that we may be mutually blessings to each other, and that all the blessings and benefits of the new and everlasting

covenant may be our portion. May the God of peace keep you in love and peace, and ever delight in your prosperity, and finally bring us to live and dwell together in the heavenly kingdom; which is the hearty wish and fervent prayer of your most devoted servant,

"Shirley, April, 1762."

"PHINEHAS WHITNEY.

This letter was directed "to Capt. Longley, Capt. Harris, Ens" Longley, Lieut. Powers, and Lieut. Walker, committee for the District of Shirley, to communicate to the inhabitants."

The preliminaries being thus happily settled, the district proceeded to the ordination of the candidate, an account of which performance is here subjoined, from the church records :

"Shirley, June the 23d, 1762.

"Mr. Phinehas Whitney was ordained pastor of the church which was gathered in Shirley, by the venerable council on that day appointed for the ordination. The churches sent to were the following, viz:-The church in Stow-the church in Lancaster-the church in Pepperell -the church in Weston-the church in Groton, and the church in Harvard; who attended by their elders and delegates.

"Introductory prayer was made by Mr. Emerson of Pepperell. Sermon was preached by Mr. Woodward of Weston-charge by Mr. Gardner of Stow. The Rev. Timothy Harrington of Lancaster made the last prayer and gave the right hand of fellowship."

It is not stated who made the consecrating prayer, but probably Mr. Dana of Groton.

The church, which the council organized previous to the ordination, adopted the following compact, which was copied as is believed-from the one in use at Groton,

where the most of the members who subscribed it had previously belonged:

"A CHURCH COVENANT.

"We whose names are hereunto subscribed,-being inhabitants of the District of Shirley, New England, knowing that we are very prone to offend and provoke the Most High God, both in heart and life, through the prevailence of sin that dwelleth within us, and manifold temptations from without us, for which we have great reason to be unfeignedly humble before him from day to day; do in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, with dependence upon the gracious assistance of his Holy Spirit, solemnly enter into covenant with God, and with one another according to God, as follows:

"Imprimis. That, having chosen and taken the Lord Jehovah to be our God, we will fear him, cleave to him in love, and serve him in truth with all our hearts, giving up ourselves to him to be his people; in all things to be at his direction and sovereign disposal; that we may have and hold communion with him, as members of Christ's mystical body, according to his revealed will, unto our lives' ends.

"2. We also bind ourselves to bring up our children. and servants in the knowledge and fear of God, by holy instructions, according to our best abilities; and in special by the use of Orthodox catechism, that the true religion may be maintained in our families while we live; yea and among such as shall live when we are dead and gone.

"3. And we further promise to keep close to the truth of Christ, and drawing with lively affection toward it in our hearts, to defend it against all opposers thereof, as God shall call us at any time thereunto; which that we may do we resolve to use the holy scriptures as our platform, whereby we may discern the mind of Christ, and not the new-found inventions of men.

"4. We also engage ourselves to have a careful inspection over our own hearts, viz., so as to endeavor, by

the virtue of the death of Christ, the mortification of all our sinful passions, worldly frames, and disorderly affections, whereby we may be withdrawn from the living God.

"5. We moreover oblige ourselves (in the faithful improvement of our ability and opportunity) to worship God according to all the particular institutions of Christ for his church, under Gospel administrations, as to give reverent attention unto the word of God, to pray unto him, to sing his praises, and to hold communion each with others, in the use of both the seals of the covenant, namely, Baptism and the Lord's Supper.

"6. We likewise promise that we will peaceably submit to the holy discipline appointed by Christ in his church, for offenders; obeying (according to the will of God) those that have the rule over us in the Lord.

7. We also bind ourselves to walk in love one towards another, endeavoring our mutual edification, visiting, exhorting, comforting, as occasion serveth, and warning any brother or sister which offendeth, not divulging private offences, irregularly, but heedfully following the several precepts for church dealing, (Matthew xviii, 16 and 17,) willingly forgiving all that do manifest, unto the judgment of charity, that they truly repent of their miscarriages.

8. Moreover we farther agree and covenant that we will have ruling elders and deacons, and when any differences may arise between any members of the church, then they shall be tried and admonished by the pastor, ruling elders and deacons; if either party be dissatisfied with their determination, then there may be an appeal to the church at large; and if either party be dissatisfied with the determination of the church, then there may be an appeal to an ecclesiastical council, according to the custom of congregationalism.

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that Great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,